The UAE recorded 1,154 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking the number of infections to 183,755. A further 613 patients were given the all-clear as the recovery tally climbed to 163,048 Officials said two patients died of related complications, raising the death toll to 609. The latest infections were detected as a result of an additional 156,513 tests in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases in the country increased to 20,098 as new infections continue to outstrip recoveries. Testing has soared in recent days, underlining the UAE's commitment to mass testing as a way to curb the spread of Covid-19. The UAE has conducted more than 18.2 million coronavirus tests since the outbreak began as part of a mass screening strategy aimed at limiting the spread of the virus. The cost of a PCR nasal swab has dropped from Dh370 to as little as Dh85, while access to testing has been widened through the introduction of drive-through screening centres, programmes in densely populated districts and the rollout of testing facilities in malls. Earlier this week, the Emirates officially registered China's Sinopharm vaccine for public use. The Ministry of Health and Prevention on Wednesday said it had approved a request from the Chinese drugmaker "in a major step towards combating the global pandemic". The vaccine was found to be 86 per cent effective against coronavirus in Phase 3 trials.